Gathered Spring Salsa Verde
We are still very much in the hungry gap. It might feel like the weather is gradually warming up, but it will still take a good few weeks for the hundreds of seedlings we’re planting out to start producing bountiful harvests. At this time of year we’re highly reliant on overwintered crops (leeks, kale, chard to name a few) and perennial crops (rhubarb, babington leek, wild garlic and nettles). This recipe created by Claire makes the best of the latter.
Makes approx 500ml
2 big handfuls of nettle tips
1 babington leek, the green part only
4-5 sprigs mint
1 bunch three-cornered leek leaves
2 chard leaves, with the stalk removed
zest of 1/2 a lemon
½ tsp salt
100g toasted pumpkin seeds
150ml olive oil
Reserved nettle water
Start off by toasting your pumpkin seeds in a dry frying pan over a medium heat, until they are starting to colour. Take off the heat and set aside to cool (if they are getting too dark, pour them into a cold bowl or dish.
Place your washed nettle and leek tops in a heat proof bowl and pour boiling water over them. Stir the greens for around 30 seconds, scoop the greens out into a blender, or a deep bowl if you are using a hand blender. Keep the nettle water.
Wash the mint and add the leaves to the blender along with the three-cornered leek and chard leaves.
Add the salt, lemon zest and tbsp of oil to the blender and blend until the greens are roughly chopped.
Add in the cooled toasted pumpkin seeds and most of the olive oil and blend. You don't want a completely smooth paste. Stop and scrape down the edge of the bowl occasionally.
When you are happy with your texture, put into a bowl. Add around 150ml of the reserve nettle water and stir with a spatula to loosen up the salsa.
Season to your taste. Scoop into a jar and pop in the fridge.
We served roasted carrots with a few tablespoons of the salsa verde and some wild garlic flowers, but you could also stir through pasta, use it as a spread in a sandwich or add some to mayo to dip your chips in!
